


Reunion

by tethrasing



Category: Pillars of Eternity
Genre: Cipher Watcher, Deadfire Spoilers, Friendship, Gen, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-09
Updated: 2018-06-09
Packaged: 2019-05-19 22:44:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14882613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tethrasing/pseuds/tethrasing
Summary: Being a cipher, Brianna was used to feeling the thoughts of others on the edges of her mind. But a moment ago, she could have sworn she felt the thoughts of someone she hadn’t seen in nearly five years. Someone who had no reason to be in the Deadfire, surely.





	Reunion

**Author's Note:**

> Pillars Prompt #40: first impressions

“Eder, Xoti, wait a minute,” Brianna stopped her companions as they began to descend into the sub-level of the Engwithan digsite.

 

“What is it, Watcher?” Xoti asked, anxiously holding up her lantern.

 

Being a cipher, Brianna was used to feeling the thoughts of others on the edges of her mind. But a moment ago, she could have sworn she felt the thoughts of someone she hadn’t seen in nearly five years. Someone who had no reason to be in the Deadfire, surely. _It can’t be him_ , she thought. But she couldn’t let it go. Not until she had a proper look around.

 

Scanning the digsite, the only place left where someone could be hiding was the strange, large, metal device to her left. She briskly walked over to it, trying to keep a hold on her anxiety. _Don’t get your hopes up, it’s probably not him._ Eder and Xoti quickly followed her and soon all three of them were standing in front of the device. It didn’t seem to open from the outside.

 

Brianna looked over her shoulder to look uncertainly at Eder. “Uh…hello?” She called, loudly enough to be heard through the metal.

 

A thick Vailian accent answered, “Are the beasts gone?”

 

“Yes, we took care of them,” Brianna replied.

 

At that, a panel on the metal device opened and several people stepped cautiously outside. Brianna scanned them quickly, looking for injuries. Her eyes landed on the last person to step out and her breath caught in her throat. He had earned a few new scars, including an impressive one on his forehead that made Brianna’s heart clench, but she recognized Aloth Corfiser all the same. Brianna had to force down the frantic laughter that threatened to bubble up in her throat. _After everything that’s happened…Caed Nua destroyed, all of the destruction Eothas has caused, and here he is…after all this time._ Brianna stopped believing in the gods a long time ago, but this was nearly enough to restore her faith.

 

Finally, Aloth’s eyes met Brianna’s and he froze. She nodded minutely, just enough for him to see and he nodded back. _“Animancers?”_ She whispered into his mind. He grimaced slightly. _“I’ll follow your lead.”_ He inclined his head again, looking grateful.

 

Brianna turns her attention back to the assembled animancers as a young man exclaimed, “Belfetto! We are saved!”

 

Xoti beamed, “Me and the Watcher, we’re always happy to help.”

 

The woman who had spoken earlier said, “I am Benessa. Governor Clario must have sent you to rescue us, no? But you do not look like one of his guards.” She looked beyond Brianna, Eder, and Xoti as if expecting to see more people.

 

Brianna frowned, “I’m afraid not. Governor Clario sent me here to find a man named Oderisi and his notes.”

 

An older woman on the left spat on the ground at this news. “I told you the governor does not care about us! This is all about profit, for him and the rest of the Vailian-“ she began angrily.

 

“Calloste!” Benessa cut her off. Taking a deep breath, she turned back to Brianna. “You are here, and that is what matters.”

 

Brianna eyed the strange metal structure behind the animancers. “What were you all doing in there?” she questioned.

 

“Hiding, of course,” said the young man.

 

Benessa gave a tired sigh and explained, “We were taking measurements of the luminous adra when something strange began happening.”

 

“Fascinating! The pillar started to dim. The ground shook, and our instruments showed unusual variations-“ the young man interjected.

 

“That’s when those of us with a grain of sense got into the cage,” finished the older woman.

 

Benessa closed her eyes as she continued recounting the story, “The colossus. Some kind of construct made from luminous adra. It passed through the arena toward the pillar. Moments later the pillar went dark. And all of our colleagues outside the cage froze. Like they turned to ash.”

 

“That is when the panthers and wurms showed up!” the young man said, “Started going through the tents.”

 

_Bit too excited, this one_ , Brianna thought. She made quick eye contact with Eder who seemed to be thinking the same thing. She focused back in on what the young animancer was saying to hear, “It was _awful_ , but Engferth-“

 

Benessa shot him a furious look and the young man fell silent. She looked back at Brianna and said, “Some of our people are still missing in the ruins, including Oderisi. It is…possible he managed to hide inside…”

 

Brianna thought for a moment, then chose her words carefully, “I’ll do everything I can to help them, but if they didn’t make it to the cage, I’m not sure what their chances were of surviving.”

 

“If you are going below, you should take Engferth with you,” Benessa said, looking over at Aloth.

 

Aloth moved to the front of the group and Eder’s jaw dropped. Brianna discretely elbowed Eder in the gut, just hard enough to get him to shut his mouth.

 

The excitable young animancer spoke up again, “Engferth knows a great many spells! At first, he even cast fire to chase away the panthers.”

 

“Until the flames nearly caught one of the tents,” Benessa said.

 

Brianna caught Aloth’s eye. “We could use all the help we could get, thank you,” she said.

 

“I would be happy to assist,” Aloth replied lightly.

 

_These people must not know him very well_ , Brianna thought. Aloth never was a good liar and Brianna could easily tell he was lying now. But Aloth was her best friend, five years ago.

 

“We should get moving, then,” Brianna said.

 

Benessa moved to Aloth and gave his hands a quick squeeze. “Be careful, aimico,” she said.

 

Aloth gave the animancer a small smile and a nod. “I shall try,” he said before following Brianna and her party into the arena sub-level.

 

When Brianna was certain they wouldn’t be overheard by the animancers, she whirled around and found Aloth. Eder led Xoti a short ways away to give them some privacy and Brianna made a mental note to thank Eder later.

 

Aloth put his hands up in a placating gesture, “I’m certain you must have a thousand questions, Brianna, but I would prefer to answer them when we are away from Port Maje-“

 

“You’re right I have a thousand questions! What on Eora are you doing in the Deadfire of all places? With animancers? And Engferth?!” she said, her tone becoming more and more hysterical as she spoke.

 

Brianna took a deep breath to clear her thoughts. “Can you at least tell me what you’re doing here?” she said, more calmly.

 

“That’s a rather long story,” Aloth said, hands fisting in the blue sash at his waist, “the short version is that I’m gathering information on local animancy operations. But I could ask you the same question.”

 

Brianna’s face fell. _Oh, right. The thing I’ve been desperately trying not to think about._

Aloth must have realized he hit a nerve because his eyebrows drew together and he took a step towards her. His hand moved forward, as if he was going to reach out and touch her, but thought better of it.

 

“Brianna?”

 

She closed her eyes before she answered. “The adra colossus. I’m sure you recognized it.”

 

When she opened her eyes, Aloth had a look of resignation on his face. “I had hoped…that didn’t mean what I thought it meant.”

 

“The colossus…it’s Eothas. He possessed it. And when he did, he destroyed Caed Nua and killed everyone there,” Brianna said. She could feel tears welling in her eyes. _I haven’t cried yet and I won’t cry now. There’ll be time enough for that later._

Aloth’s eyes widened. “Then how did you survive?”

 

Brianna gave him a sad smile. “I didn’t. He took a piece of my soul and I…went to the In-Between. I was supposed to go to the Wheel, but Berath plucked me out and gave me a choice. Die, or chase after Eothas and figure out what he’s up to. I chose the latter.”

 

The look Aloth gave her was too much. There was so much concern etched into his features, she could hardly stand it. _He cares, even after all this time._ She felt several tears fall onto her cheeks in quick succession and she scrubbed them away. _Traitors,_ she thought at her eyes.

 

This time, Aloth moved his hand fully to rest on her arm. “Brianna, I am so sorry.”

 

Brianna hesitated for a moment before moving to wrap her arms around Aloth. She knows it’s been five years, she knows they’re practically strangers now, but she’s _scared_ and she’s _tired_ and she’s _missed_ him. She left her arms loose, in case he wanted to pull away. At first, Aloth stiffened. But after a moment, he relaxed and moved to return the hug.

They stayed like that for a minute before Brianna pulled away. She wiped at her wet face as she apologized, “I’m sorry for…that.”

 

“It’s quite alright, Brianna,” Aloth assured her, “it sounds like you’ve been through a lot. I can’t imagine what you’re feeling.”

 

She flashed him a grateful smile before glancing over at Eder and Xoti. “I think we’ve left them waiting long enough. Besides, you need to meet our new friend, Xoti. She’s a priest, nothing like Durance, thankfully,” she said.

 

Aloth let out a quiet chuckle. “Which god does she worship?” he asked.

 

Brianna was suddenly very interested in examining her longbow and wouldn’t meet Aloth’s eyes.

 

“Brianna?” Aloth prompted, raising his eyebrows.

 

“Eothas,” she mumbled.

 

“Ah,” Aloth said, “Anything else I should know about her?”

 

Brianna twisted her longbow in her hands anxiously, “Well…”

 

“Brianna,” Aloth said, chidingly.

 

“Okay, so, she’s with the Children of the Dawnstars. And she…collects souls? In her lantern? I haven’t actually seen her do it yet, but it sounds interesting as Hel,” Brianna said in a rush.

 

Aloth looked at Xoti and her lantern skeptically.

 

“Just try to keep an open mind, that’s all I ask,” Brianna said.

 

“I will try,” Aloth promised.

 

With that, the two of them joined Eder and Xoti and they all moved further into the underground area. It was strangely familiar, being back with Eder and Aloth. _Like they never left_ , Brianna thought to herself. It was obvious time and circumstance had changed them, but she could tell that at their cores, they were both still the same men she knew five years ago. Despite everything that had happened and the whirlwind her life had become, she found herself content with her circumstances for the time being. With old and new friends, perhaps she would be able to survive what the gods threw at her.


End file.
